SANTA ANITA : After Four Consecutive Victories, Solis’ Luck Is Bad in Santa Ysabel

Alex Solis’ longest win streak remains four races.

Seeking his fifth consecutive winner in Wednesday’s Santa Ysabel Stakes while riding Golden Treat, he had to settle for second, beaten by a head, by Crownette.

After breaking from the rail, Golden Treat, the 5-2 second choice, was shuffled back around the far turn, then had nowhere to go until late, but still almost caught the winner.

“I only got clear in the final 150 yards,” said Solis, who had replaced an ill Chris McCarron.

“I had a chance to go six or seven wide and lose a lot of ground, so I decided to stay inside to save some ground. I had a lot of horse but nowhere to go.

“She definitely can run, but she just wasn’t lucky today, that’s all.”

Misfortune does seem to follow the daughter of Theatrical. She had some trouble when third in the Moccasin Breeders’ Cup last Nov. 13 at Hollywood Park, then was virtually eliminated on the first turn in the Hollywood Starlet and wound up fifth.

Eighteen days after finishing second to Icy Eyes in the La Centinela, Crownette, the 4-1 fourth choice, won her first stakes by rallying wide--on a day when that was the place to be--while Golden Treat was searching for room.

Trained by Wayne Lukas and impeccably bred--by Seattle Slew out of an Alydar mare--Crownette covered the 1 1/16 miles in 1:44 1/5 and earned $48,975 for owner Jim Paliafito.

“They came up to her at the three-eighths pole, and I had to make an early move to keep my position,” said Pat Valenzuela, who rode the winner for the first time. “I didn’t want to move as quick as I did, but I had to. She responded well through the drive, but eased up a bit when she got the lead. She fought back when (Golden Treat) came to her.”

This was the second victory in seven starts for Crownette. Her ultimate objective, according to Lukas, is the Santa Anita Oaks.

“She’s got some quality,” he said. “She’ll find herself. The big, growthy ones like her take a little time to develop. She did what she had to do.

“I thought (Valenzuela) might have moved a little early, but he said he had to or they were going to come around him. If that’s the case, I’m glad he did. They all had a shot and she’s the best.”

Looie Capote, the 2-1 favorite on the strength of her runner-up finish at 30-1 in the Hollywood Starlet, was third, nearly two lengths behind Golden Treat.

“I think she’s better from off the pace,” said Kent Desormeaux, who was content to drop back to fifth at one point after holding the lead after a 22 3/5 opening quarter. “They were three across the track and I didn’t want any part of that. I tried to sit behind them. I guess I should have went to the lead.”

Twilight Agenda will make his 1992 debut under 125 pounds in the $150,000 San Pasqual Handicap Saturday.

A winner of six of 10 starts last year and never worse than third, Twilight Agenda will have four or five opponents in his first outing since he won the Native Diver Handicap on Dec. 8 at Hollywood Park.

His probable foes are Algenib, who will be making his first start on the main track since coming to the United States; Answer Do, who will be trying two turns for the first time since 1989; Ibero, the runner-up in the Native Diver, and King Drone. Admirallus, who upset Sea Cadet in the William P. Kyne Handicap at Bay Meadows earlier this month, is a possible participant in the 1-1/16-mile race.

Funeral services for Millie Vessels will be Friday at 3 p.m. at the Church of Our Father at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Cypress.

Vessels, 72, who managed Los Alamitos after her husband, Frank, died in 1974, passed away Monday night at a hospital in Fallbrook. She had been suffering from respiratory problems.

Horse Racing Notes

Pat Valenzuela has dropped his appeal of a five-day suspension handed down in the final days of Hollywood Park and will begin the enforced layoff Saturday. Riding Brainstorming in the third race Dec. 21, Valenzuela was disqualified from second and placed third after bothering favored Bel’s Starlet in deep stretch. . . . Frank Alvarado, who was taken off his mounts Saturday after testing positive for amphetamines (diet pills), has been cleared to return to riding, but he wasn’t named on any horses Wednesday or today.

Alex Solis won the first four races in the Pick Six with Lady Jersey, Chip’s De Mere, 18-1 shot Bright Day Bob and Qathif. . . . Over The Mamoon was fourth in the Santa Ysabel, then came Wakiland, Fantastic Kim, Red Bandana, Pinochle and Wariness. . . . In Excess was given high weight of 124 pounds for the $500,000 Donn Handicap Feb. 1 at Gulfstream Park, the first race in the American Championship Racing Series. . . . Laffit Pincay won the first two races Wednesday aboard Lyphing Dancer and Every Passing Day.